Visitors to the Land of the Tiger can board a boat and float down river into the heart of the tiger's homeland.
During their journey they will come alongside a family of Amur tigers going about their daily activities. However,
danger awaits as the boat arrives at the gigantic Tiger Rock ... and there's only one way down!

Both Tiger Rock and the Land of the Tiger were new attractions for the 2018 season at Chessington.
Tiger Rock is a retheme of Dragon Falls (originally known as Dragon River) - the log flume which was one of the original theme park
attractions which opened with the transformation of Chessington Zoo into Chessington World of Adventures
in 1987. Land of the Tiger is a dramatic transformation of the former Mystic East area in which Dragon River
used to sit.

One of the Amur tigers surveys the scene from up high

The biggest change to the area is the introduction of a series of animal enclosures which are
home to the family of Amur tigers. These enclosures are connected via overhead trails that go over
the heads of visitors on the log flume below. The tigers are quite lively, and seem to enjoy running
along the bridges and exploring their environment.

Tiger Rock

Another big change is the log flume's final drop. Dragon River opened with an impressive
Angkor Wat-like rockwork edifice, with boats crashing down the drop between two gigantic heads
carved into the rock. However, over time the condition of the theming deteriorated and by 2013
the rocks had been removed and Dragon Falls (as it had been renamed several years previously) felt
more like a boat tour around a building site than through an ancient Eastern landscape. Following
the retheme, rockwork is back on the final drop in the form of the imposing Tiger Rock, a huge
towering tiger face which boats dive through to reach the lake below.

Tiger Rock takes the standard theme park log flume and elevates it to the next level. Dragon River/Falls
was always special - not least because it used real boats rather than the lazy giant logs of most
"log" flumes - and Tiger Rock builds on that solid foundation. The addition of the Amur tigers
makes for an amazing experience, and it is nice that both riders and non-riders alike have
opportunities to see the tigers from multiple viewing locations. Judging by the length of the queues it
is pulling in, the retheme has been a massive hit so far.

The Ride

Riders on-board

The journey on Tiger Rock begins as riders board their boat which slowly moves along a conveyor
belt through the impressively themed station. The boat passes underneath a large tiger face painted
above the station entrance, and drops a few inches down a slope into the water channel.

After passing underneath two wooden footbridges that form part of the extended queueline,
and a larger stone bridge, the boat navigates around a corner and then up a short conveyor.
At the top of the hill the boat descends down the smaller of Tiger Rock's drops, with
riders getting a small sprinkling of water in their faces.

Floating past a tiger enclosure

Having picked up some speed, they then enter into a dark tunnel which is filled with
special lighting and smoke effects. Emerging back into the sunlight, the fast-moving boat passes
behind the Tiger Treats donut shop and then alongside
one of the tiger enclosures, with large windows offering riders a good view inside. Following
a short tunnel which carries boats under one of the major Land of the Tiger footpaths, the
water channel turns right past some wooden buildings and reaches the bottom of the large
conveyor belt which will carry the boat to the summit of Tiger Rock.

At the top of the hill riders find themselves at the high point of the ride. They have
plenty of time to take in the view, as their boat moves achingly slowly around a sweeping right
hand bend. But excitement awaits - soon they find themselves at the top of the plunge over
Tiger Rock. With just time to pose for the on-ride photo, they and the boat crash down the
drop, through the mist-enshrouded tiger mouth and into the lake at the bottom.

If they are unlucky, riders may find themselves sprayed from a well aimed water gun
by a spectator watching the ride. Soon though, their boat will be out of reach of the guns,
as it passes under another footbridge and floats back to the station. After engaging with
the station conveyor, riders disembark ready to take a look at their onride photo and visit
the Tiger Rock gift shop.

The Tigers

Land of the Tiger is home to four endangered Amur tigers, all of whom were born at Kolmården Wildlife Park in Sweden.
The family moved to their new home at Chessington World of Adventures in 2018.

Tsar

Born: 16th July 2007Sex: Male

Kalinka

Born: 7th June 2010Sex: Female

Olga

Born: 29th August 2008Sex: Female

Kyra

Born: 29th August 2008Sex: Female

Photo Gallery

Entrance to Land of the Tiger

Tiger Rock

Water guns mean riders are unlikely to escape the wetness

Floating through nicely landscaped greenery

A boat at the top of the first drop

An Amur tiger up close

Just hanging out in the Land of the Tiger

Tiger Rock ride entrance

The Tiger Rock station and gift shop

Boats pass underneath the extended queueline bridges

The first log flume drop

Speeding around a corner

Boats pass alongside large windows looking into the tiger enclosure

Floating past one of the tiger enclosures

Turning around before the large lift hill

Splashing down through Tiger Rock

Surviving the drop down Tiger Rock

Tiger Rock riders

Water guns give wet riders another soaking

Boats pass beneath one of the tiger runs

The Tiger Bites restaurant seating area is next to the Tiger Rock station

Inside the Tiger Rock station

On-ride photo booth

The footpath down to the log flume has been given a makeover since its Dragon Falls days

The Giant Buddha statue has been repainted in gold

Tigers can cross over the heads of visitors using bridges across the footpaths

An Amur tiger looks down on visitors to Land of the Tiger

There are plenty of windows allowing guests to see into the giant tiger enclosure complex